Wellington, Dec 11 (UNI) An unbeaten century from Henry Nicholls averted a mid-innings slump as New Zealand recovered from 78/3 to post 294/6 by stumps on day 1 at Basin Reserve here on Friday.

Riding on a few dropped chances, Nicholls completed his sixth Test century and remained unbeaten alongside Kyle Jamieson to take New Zealand to stumps.

At 170/4 heading into the tea break, the game seemed to be in the balance. BJ Watling and Daryl Mitchell, alongside Nicholls, made it tougher for the visitors in the final session. 124 runs came in the last session as New Zealand kept the scoring rate brisk.

The half-century stand between Nicholls and Watling was broken when Alzarri Joseph had the wicket-keeper chopping onto his stumps for 30.

Mitchell walked into some really good bowling from the Windies, but survived the initial burst before opening up against Roston Chase's off-spin. His 42 off 68 balls came to an end when the impressive debutant, Chemar Holder, trapped him in front just before close of play. Nicholls had completed his century by then and ambled along to 117.

Earlier in the day, West Indies won the toss and opted to bowl first on a green top, handing a debut to Holder in place of Kemar Roach who had returned to the Caribbean Islands. The visitors had another debutant behind the stumps in Joshua Da Silva.

West Indies took time to get the first breakthrough despite the ball moving around early. Shannon Gabriel grabbed the first wicket in the seventh over by sending Tom Blundell back, the fourth time he had dismissed the Kiwi in four Tests.

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